The Arroyo Vista Inn is located in South Pasadena California and is less than 5 miles from Old Town Pasadena and less than 7 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. We are also a 15 minute walk from the South Pasadena Gold Line Station. The Inn is a historic ten room Craftsman home build in 1910 and converted to a bed and breakfast in 2006. The original home was designed by the renowned architect Lester Moore. Each room at the Inn has a queen or king bed and private bathroom with WIFI and Flat Screen Cable TV.

The Inn sits atop a hill overlooking the Arroyo Seco with great views of the San Gabriel mountains.

Your choice of rooms range from a mountain view room to a quiet hill facing room nestled under the Oak Trees. The Arroyo Vista Inn attracts visitors from around the world who enjoy our large 16 person dining table or beautiful outdoor patio.

We cater to both the vacationer or business traveler serving a continental breakfast during the week with hot dishes also served at the table. On the weekend, it is a sit down breakfast featuring at least two specialty items from our kitchen. Weekday breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and weekends are 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

In our last travel column we listed 5 of our favorite 10 Gay accommodations where we have stayed. Over 18 years years we have traveled coast to coast and have stayed in over 100 Gay owned resorts, hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfasts. We are listing the second 5 here. Most of them have been very fine experiences and some were just ‘so so’ and a few have not been very good. It is like in the old days about Gay bars. All you had to do was open a Gay bar and you automatically had a lot of business. However Gay bars in the country are fading fast and over half of them closed in the past 10 years.

Over 40 of the Gay owned accommodations where we have stayed over the years are no longer in business. Most closed due to lack of business, some owners either retired or gone into another business or have died. 90% of the ones that have closed was due to poor management either by the owners themselves or by their staff. In today’s world Gays demand and are accustomed to a nice clean and safe place to stay. We have stayed in places that never changed water or put new chemicals in their hot tub, had ratty linens and no personalized service. And then they wonder why they did not have any returning customers and had to go out of business. Thankfully, there are those owners who respect their customers and want them to return again and again. Good for them! Below is a list of the other 5 of the best, where we have stayed and have stayed several time with them where we have always had a great experience.

ESCAPE RESORT IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

It was purchased a few years ago by Mark and Greg who were originally from Denver. They have updated some things but kept the basic theme. We met most of the guests and they have been returning for years, from Germany, Australia and all over the world as well as all parts of America. The Resort has a great reputation. Mark and Greg KNOW how to treat their guests and is why so many return again and again. The resort is located within walking to downtown Palm Springs and to most of the Gay bars, so if you have a little too much to drink, you can always walk home. They have 12 rooms, from Queen to King to Suites and comes with TV, WiFi, individual climate control, DVD Players, luxury linens, bathrobes, iron and ironing board, digital safe, mini fridge and an outdoor private patio area. For those wanting to spend more than just a few days, they have kitchenettes so you can do your own cooking. Their website is www.escapepalmsprings.com and Email them at MyEscape@EscapePalmSprings.com or give them a call at 1.760.325.5269. or 1.800.621.6973

PIKES PEAK INN, IN WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO

To get way from it all, we highly suggest staying the Pikes Peak Inn in Woodland, Colorado. If you ever need to get away from it all, then head to the High Mountains in Colorado. Pikes Peak Paradise Bed and Breakfast is THE place to go. It is located just 18 miles west of Colorado Springs and just to the south of Woodland Park also known as “The City Above The Clouds”. Woodland Park is located at 8,465 feet above sea level on the north slope of Pikes Peak and is surrounded by over a million acres of Pike National Forest. Pikes Peak Paradise B & B is located on 4 acres of private land. The views of the mountains and of Pikes Peak are breath-taking. And they are over 9,000 feet in elevation. All of the rooms/suites face south towards Pikes Peak. You are surrounded by trees mountains and more trees and mountains. You can watch deer everywhere. A full gourmet sit-down breakfast is served each day. In all of our travels, they make the finest gourmet breakfast! Ron Pijut is the owner and is a fabulous host. Check out their website at www.pikespeakparadise.com and their toll free number is 800-728-8282.

BROWN STREET INN IN IOWA CITY, IOWA

It is owned by Mark Ruggeberg and Bob Brooks. They have operated the Inn for more than 12 years. It is located at 430 Brown Street which is just a short walk to downtown. It is located in a lovely two story old home and decorated to perfection. Casual elegance in Iowa City’s historic Brown Street neighborhood. It is a 1913 Dutch Colonial Style Mansion and located on a very quiet street and within walking distance to downtown as well as to the University of Iowa campus. Mark and Bob are fabulous hosts. Their website is www.brownstreetinn.com Their toll free number to make reservations is 319.338.0435. Their email is info@brownstreetinn.com They have 5 rooms and one huge suite. They have a computer for guests as well as WiFi for those who bring their laptops. These gentlemen do EVERYTHING the right way.

GASLIGHT INN BED AND BREAKFAST IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

The Gaslight Inn B and B in Seattle is areal jewel. Their website is www.gaslight-inn.com and you can call them at (206) 325-3654. This Seattle bed and breakfast became a city-designated landmark 2015. Located on Capitol Hill, the city’s most exciting, convenient, walkable neighborhood – in the heart of gay Seattle. The Inn features great Northwest art, fireplaces in the lobby and in some guest rooms, and a heated seasonal pool in the back yard. Just minutes from downtown and Elliot Bay. Their address is 1727 15th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98122. Stephen Bennett is the owner and has owned it for many years. He has a lot of guests who return year after year. City bus stops are just a block away that will take you anywhere in the city that you would want to go. They have 8 furnished rooms in his magnificent Arts and Crafts home. This Seattle Bed and Breakfast became a city-designated landmark 2015.

EUREKA SPRINGS IN ARKANSAS

(Donald and Ray with Mr. Bill, owner of the New Delhi Cafe)

What can be said about this beautiful hidden town in the Arkansas. It is truly the Gay Mecca in the entire Midwest! Travelers come from all over the Midwest and points beyond to visit there. Their are 26 listings on purpleroofs.com find the perfect B and B just for you. Eureka Springs has a population of just over 2,000 with most of the business Gay owned. Mayor Robert “Butch” Berry has done an outstanding job at bringing thousands of tourists throughout the years. This is a very laid back town where everybody gets along with everyone. While dining you might be sitting next to a black leather motorbike guy and on the other side a lady in a fur coat. We have visited Eureka many times over the years and it is always a very unique experience. When visiting BE SURE and go to the New Delhi Cafe located right downtown. Mr.Bill is the owner and a REAL Prince of a guy! https://newdelhieureka.com/styled/index.html. They have fabulous food, drink and a huge patio. Anyone who is somebody goes there!Check out purpleroofs.com for a complete listing on all the Bed and Breakfasts. Also check out https://www.eurekasprings.org/tag/lgbt/

Always remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone!

TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married).

Come to the Russian River where redwoods tower over the forest, where you can relax in the warm afternoon sunlight and where the nights are clear and cool.

Sonoma Orchid Inn Bed & Breakfast sits on over 2 acres of meadow on a hill-top, below more stars than you’ve ever seen.

We’re close to local vineyards, where you’ll find premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Or take a short drive to the Pacific Coast.

The Russian River flows nearby, and Korbel’s vineyards surround us on the west and north. You’ll find it all here in Sonoma County – the Russian River Valley is a vacation playground for wine lovers, outdoorsmen, and anyone who enjoys the beauty of the Pacific Coast.

Set amid beautiful redwoods and gardens, Fern Grove Cottages offers twenty vacation rental cabins – both studios and 1-2 bedrooms, each with a private bathroom and television. We also have romantic fireplaces for chilly winter nights, hot tubs, and full kitchens and wet bars in some cottages.

We serve a hearty continental breakfast each morning in our mountain lodge – enjoy it there, or take it back to your own private balcony. We change our menu each season, using fresh ingredients, and serve items including bread, homemade scones, fruit and fruit preserves, yogurt, granola, oatmeal, juices, and fresh-brewed coffee.

We have a saline swimming pool, heated to a comfortable 80 degrees in the summer. We also have a picnic area for guest use in the warmer months, including a barbecue if you want to cook your own hot meal under the trees.

Fern Grove Cottages is an easy walk to the center of Guerneville – where you’ll find a number of choices for lunch and dinner. We’re also close to the Russian River and you can enjoy golfing, ocean beaches, and the Sonoma Wine Country too. Guests are provided wine passports that allow free tastings at over 100 separate wineries in the area.

Take a step back in time at the oldest hotel in the Yosemite area. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Groveland Hotel offers easy access to Yosemite.

Our newly renovated hotel features 18 beautifully-appointed guest rooms, wrap around porches, and a delightful tiered patio. Fresh carpets, windows, bedding and lighting provide the modern amenities you’re looking for while enveloping you in the historic sophistication of the early California ranch-style.

Originally built as a trading post in 1849, the Groveland Hotel has had many lives. The Groveland Hotel is one of the few remaining buildings in the Sierra Nevada build in the Monterey Adobe style which was in vogue in the late 1840 and 1850s. Guests can still see the original adobe bricks used to build the structure.

Route 66, a National Treasure of the National Trust, winds its way some 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. It weaves past small towns, big cities, National Parks, roadside attractions, and also: gay bars.

As one of the first cross-country highways, Route 66 connected refugees from the Dust Bowl to safety in the 1930s, troops to military bases during World War II, and post-war Americans to California and the western states in the 1950s and onwards. While I traveled Route 66 with the National Trust from Chicago to Springfield, Missouri, I documented places in communities along the iconic highway that historically welcomed gay travelers.

The subject of gay bars from the past really interests me.

Where I live in New York City I lead a walking tour about “gay bars that are gone” and people who attend share histories and sometimes memories from LGBT spaces, dating as far back as the 1870s. These are spaces where gay Americans found joy, love, community, and solidarity in the face of great social and political adversity. To document the “gay bars that are gone” of Route 66, I came with a few important things in my suitcase: two LGBT USA travel guides from the year (coincidentally) 1966 and a rainbow flag.

The travel guides were incredible. Both are rare finds and I had to convince folks from far away to scan archival copies and send to me. One was titled: The Lavender Baedeker ‘66: A Guidebook to Gay, Interesting, Hysterical, and Historic Places in the U.S., and it was published by a company listing LGBT-friendly establishments since 1961. The other guide was a Damron Guide from 1966, which is an LGBT travel company that still exists and has been publishing gay travel guides since 1964. This third edition Damron Guide chronicled more than 900 places across the United States and Canada recommended for gay travelers.

What could be more perfect any time of year than a California Central Coast road trip? Nothing. Leaving the SoCal area out of Los Angeles and heading north up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), you’re bound to find beautiful, quirky, delicious, and captivating stops. A road trip up the California Central Coast fits nearly any budget and can last a few days or two weeks. There’s never a dull moment with or without kids, and we’ve done it both ways.

Looking back (and as we plan to do a Central Coast road trip again soon) I think next time we’ll eat more ice cream, spend some time hiking in Los Padres National Forest and schedule our trip around either Spring Barrel or Crush in the Fall.

We only just started to get into the amazing, diverse world of wine on the Central Coast and it could be the focus of its own trip. Was that too much much of a hint of what’s in store? Oops. Having said that, prepare yourself for fun with the family any time of year on a PCH road trip.

Planning your California Central Coast road trip

It’s so much fun to throw some bags and supplies in the car and hit the road, but when you’re talking about family travel to a popular destination, particularly in the summer months, you need to plan things out a bit more than this. Here’s how to plan your perfect California Central Coast road trip (or any similar trip for that matter).

Perfect California Road Trip Activities along the PCH

We always like to start our road trip planning with making a list of sights and activities we know both the kids and adults will love. When we’re talking about California we know that we can almost always mix beach time with hiking and even some family friendly wine tasting. The California Central Coast is perfect for all of those activities. Add in our love for history and we’ve got endless opportunities to enjoy a perfect road trip along the PCH together.

El Mirasol Villas is the original Palm Springs resort catering to gay men since 1975. Built by Howard Hughes in 1947, the hotel’s charm and privacy have preserved while offering the style and comfort sought by today’s gay traveler. Walled and gated, this private resort is in the Warm Sands area, only blocks away from downtown Palm Springs, gay nightlife, hiking, shopping, casino gambling and gourmet dining.

Meandering garden paths lead to bungalows, one or two bedroom suites and studios, two gorgeous clothing optional pools and a 10 man Jacuzzi/Spa with an outdoor shower. The hotel even features a eucalyptus steam room.

All rooms have California king beds, private baths, Flat Screen wireless TV and DVD players, some with kitchens and private patios.

The popular Willows Inn Bed & Breakfast is conveniently located in San Francisco’s Lesbian and Gay Castro neighborhood. We’re an easy drive or street car ride from all of San Francisco’s popular sights. And we’re just a short walk from the epicenter of gay San Francisco life, Castro Street.

Housed in a 1903 Edwardian, the Inn’s decor is a blend of handcrafted bentwood willow furnishings, antique dressers, armoires, and cozy comforters.

We’re ideally situated at the crossroads to San Francisco’s efficient transportation system. The subway will whisk you downtown in 10 minutes, while the streetcars, buses and the antique trolley service can take you to any other point in the city. Golden Gate Park, the Bridge, Union Square shopping, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Baker Beach (San Francisco’s nude beach) — all of San Francisco is easily accessible.

The Castro neighborhood itself offers a wide range of restaurants and cafes, specialty and second hand shops, gyms, bars, and a vintage ’30’s movie palace.